The Daily Telegraph

Automated libraries ‘shut out’ the young and elderly

- By Helena Horton

LIBRARIANS are being replaced by machines, leading children and the elderly to miss out on books, the Library and Informatio­n Associatio­n (Cilip) has warned.

A new CCTV and PIN code entry system, Open Plus, requires users to already have a library card before they can enter libraries, which allows them to open without staff.

The number of public libraries using the technology has increased from 24 in 2016 to at least 109.

There are concerns that the technology is replacing librarians, which could lock out those who are not tech-savvy. Over half of councils using Open Plus have reduced staff hours, according to an Associatio­n for Public Service Excellence (APSE) report.

Mark Taylor, director of external relations at Cilip, said: “Most likely elderly people will be affected, including those with poor digital skills and access, and younger people will be affected as you can’t get in with a children’s card.

“This technology is really useful to extend local services. But we don’t see them as a replacemen­t. There are access reasons – younger children won’t be able to come in, you don’t get the expertise of a librarian, which reduces quality of the service.”

Nick Poole, chief executive of Cilip, agreed: “An unstaffed library is a sham library. Technology should be used to extend library opening hours and cannot replace the help that librarians provide. The public deserve far better than a room with some books, and have a right to quality libraries that support learning and discovery, a range of exciting activities, and a safe and welcoming environmen­t.”

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